Brits urged to 'stop panicking' over COVID-19 rates by expert

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Schools are beginning to let pupils out for the October half term, marking their first break since they returned from summer. The incoming freedom will see children – identified as a likely vector for the latest surge in Covid infections – move more freely around the country and overseas. The Government believes it can use the break as an opportunity to study how it affects case distribution and whether it needs to adjust its Covid controls.

Recent data has exposed rising rates amongst secondary school pupils, the highest of any age group in the UK.

That rate has seemingly caught Boris Johnson’s attention, as reports suggest he hopes the half term will reduce cases.

He is currently facing pressure to initiate the Government’s “Plan B” Covid measures.

These measures aren’t the same as a full-scale lockdown but would introduce similar curbs on public interaction.

Notable features include the return of working from home, compulsory masks and mandated vaccine passports for some locations.

In theory, these would mirror the requirements of people in other home nations such as Scotland and Wales and the UK’s European neighbours.

Health experts and organisations are now calling for these to curb the mounting pressure on the NHS.

Chief among those making these calls is the NHS Confederation, which released a statement yesterday.

The Confederation said the NHS has seen “worrying increases in coronavirus cases” that have piled pressure on hospitals as winter approaches.

Staff are “close to burnout”, it added, as they attempt to reduce pandemic-based disruption.

The statement asked the Government for new measures “sooner rather than later”.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said ministers should not delay, as the NHS risks “sky-high” pressure.

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He said: “It is time for the Government to enact Plan B of its strategy without delay because, without preemptive action, we risk stumbling into a winter crisis.

“Also, health leaders need to understand what a ‘Plan C’ would entail if these measures are insufficient.

“The Government should not wait for COVID infections to rocket and for NHS pressures to be sky high before the panic alarm is sounded.”

But speaking in a Government press conference yesterday, health secretary Sajid Javid stopped short of declaring harsher controls.

He argued that “life is not back to normal”, adding people should take personal responsibility for their health and others.

The Health Secretary pleaded with the British public to don face masks and social distance where possible.

But he denied calls for further restrictions, adding his department did not believe pressures facing the NHS are “unsustainable”.

He put the nation on notice, however, advising he wouldn’t “hesitate to act” if the current case spike threatened to overwhelm the NHS.

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